Ending several months of speculation, Alpha Delta fraternity’s chairperson Lionel Conacher ’85 confirmed Sunday that AD will not accept a rush class this year.
AD’s board of directors — all newly elected — voted not to recognize any rush processes that occur this fall, Conacher wrote in an email.
Last spring, both former AD president Ryan Maguire ’16 and former alumni advisor John Engelman ’68 said they hoped to accept a full class of new members this fall, although they were not certain such an action would be feasible.
Maguire did not respond to requests for comment over the weekend and Engelman, who left his post as alumni advisor to AD, redirected comments to his successor, John Pepper ’91 Tu’97. Pepper redirected requests to comment to Conacher, citing time constraints.
Conacher was not available for further comment due to time restrictions.
Interfraternity Council president Sam Macomber ’16 wrote in an email that since AD is no longer recognized by the College it is not within the purview of the IFC to comment on the matter.
College spokesperson Diana Lawrence also cited AD’s separation from the College, and declined to comment.
It is unclear how or if the elimination of one of Dartmouth’s 14 fraternities will affect the rush process for other men on campus. Of the 353 men who joined fraternities last fall, 37 joined AD, the largest rush class of any organization. Sigma Phi Epsilon fraternity took 36 new members, Psi Upsilon fraternity accepted 35 and Beta Alpha Omega and Chi Heorot fraternities accepted 34. No other fraternity had more than 23 new members in the fall of 2014, according to the Greek Letter Organizations and Societies office.
AD was also the College’s largest fraternity at the time of its derecognition. Roughly 70 former members of the house in the Classes of 2016 and 2017 are also left without a formal Greek affiliation following its derecognition, according to GLOS.
Numerous fraternity presidents either directed requests to comment to the IFC or did not respond to requests seeking comment.
